Rotor actuated flushing water control for waste disposer



Aprll 7, 1959- G. B. FOX ET AL 2,880,941

ROTOR ACTUATED FLUSHING WATER CONTROL FOR WASTE DISPOSER Filed'Jan. '7,195a FIG-1 2J0 32 [CENTRIFUGAL 245 SWITCH zsz 2/3 ,2.% FIG 3 225 332 gt: H v 2" L I CENTRIFUGAL Ho SWITCH I H3-- [i8 I33 W436 fir, I35

l I INVENTORS In GERALD B. FOX a BY STANLEY O.THOMAS CENTRIFUGAL SWITCHMk/flfi ATTORNEYS United States Patent ROTOR ACTUATED F LUSHIN G WATERCONTROL FOR WASTE DISPOSER Gerald B. Fox and Stanley 0. Thomas, Troy,Ohio, as-

signors to The Hobart Manufacturing Company, Troy, Ohio, a corporationof Ohio Application January 7, 1958, Serial No. 707,613

8 Claims. (Cl. 241-435) This invention relates to waste disposers,particularly to garbage disposers and similar machinery having rotatingcomminuting apparatus or the like, and having a waste pipe line andaliquid supply pipe connected thereto for flushing away the comminutedmaterial.

The present invention is directed particularly to use withgarbage'disposer machines having rotary comminuting apparatus driven byan electric motor, and supported in a garbage receiving bowl. It is theusual practice, in fact a practice required by statute in somelocations, to supply flushing liquid such as water through the bowl andthrough the waste pipe line which conducts the flushing liquid andcomminuted material from the bowl, in order to disperse the material inflowable form and carry it away, as through a sewer line. It isdesirable to have flushing water passing through the waste pipe line atall times during operation of the comminuting apparatus, since if thecomminuted garbage is not dispersed and carried away immediately it maycollect in turns or traps in the waste line, or further on in the sewerline, and tend to plug the line with obvious results. This action issometimes referred to in the art as dry grinding, in other wordsgrinding or comminuting the material to be disposed of without thepresence of a flushing supply of water in the waste line to entrain andcarry oti the material.

Commercial-type garbage disposers of relatively large size and capacityare particularly prone to dry grinding since the rotating parts therofare relatively large and heavy, as compared for example with the smallerdomestic units, and it has been found that the comminuting apparatus ofthe larger commercial disposers may continue to rotate at a speed.suflicient to grind material for a considerable time after the drive,motor has been deenergized. For example, with a disposer having an 11"bowl and a five horsepower electric. drive motor, with the comminutingapparatus being balanced, and low friction type bearings used as aredesirable, it has been found that the comminuting apparatus may continueto rotate, even when material to be ground is in the bowl, for a periodof from fifteen to thirty seconds after the supply of electrical energyto the motor is cut oft. It has been estimated that during these fifteento thirty seconds the apparatus will continue to grind effectively forapproximately two-thirds of that time, or perhaps evenlonger,'dependin'g upon the material to be comminuted. Obviously, with aunit of high capacity. this could result in suflicient dry groundmaterial to clog the waste line.

Therefore, the primary object of this invention is to provide animproved control for waste disposer units and the like which assures asupply of flushing water through the waste pipe line from the unit atall times when the unit is operating at speeds sufficient to comminutewaste material, but does not prolong the flushing watersupply beyond thetime when the unit has ceased to grind efiectively.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a 2,880,941 PatentedApr. 7, 1959 2 control for waste disposer units which may be readilyassembled from conventional commercially available parts, and which isaccurate and reliable in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description, the accompanying drawing and the appended claims.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of one form of acontrol provided by the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagram of a modified control system; and

Fig. 3 is a diagram of another modification of the controlsystem'provided by the invention.

Referring to the drawing, which illustrates preferred embodiments of thepresent invention, in Fig. 1 the waste disposer unit includes a wastematerial receiving bowl or hopper within which the comminuting apparatusindicated diagrammatically at 12 is supported. This apparatus includesrotating parts which are driven by an electric motor 13 includingfarotor 15 shown in dotted lines. A water supply pipe 18 branches at the T19 into an upper bowl supply line 20 which directs flushing water intobowl 10 with the waste material, and a lower line 22 which directsflushing water into bowl 10 below the comminuting apparatus 12. A wastepipe line 25 is connected to bowl 10 for carrying away the comminutedwaste material entrained in the flushing water. Waste line 25 may beconnected to any suitable sewer line (not shown) or the like.

The flow of water through supply line 18 is controlled by a solenoidoperated valve shown diagrammatically at 30, and a supply source ofelectrical energy, in the form of lines L1 and L2, is connected tooperate solenoid valve through a line 32 which extends directly from thesolenoid to line L1, and line 33 which passes from the solenoid to lineL2'through a centrifugal switch 35 which may be of conventional typearranged to open and close in response to centrifugal force exertedthereon. This switch is also driven by motor 13, as indicated by thedotted line 36. The electrical energy to the motor is supplied directlyfrom lines L1 and L2, which represent any suitable single or polyphasesupply, under the control of a suitable switch 38.

Switch 35 is of the type which is open when stationary, and whichremains open until the speed of rotation reaches some preselected limit.This limit, depending upon the design of the switch, may be anywherefrom a few r.p.m., for example approximately 50, up to 300 r.p.m. ormore. With a disposer unit of the proportions and power described in theintroduction, it has been found that speeds of 200 to 300 r.p.m. are tooslow to cause any substantial amount of dry grinding, and therefore as apractical matter a suitable centrifugal switch which opens when therevolutions of the motor decrease below r.p.m. has been found to providesatisfactory results.

The operation of the control in Fig. 1 thus is dependent primarily uponswitch 38, which when closed will energize motor 13 and start the unitin operation. As soon as the motor speeds up above the r.p.m. at whichswitch 35 is set to close, then this switch will close and solenoidvalve 30 will be energized to open the valve and supply flushing waterthrough lines 20 and 22. However, when switch 38 is opened the motor andthe rotary parts of the comminuting apparatus 12 will continue to rotatedue to inertia, and switch 35 will remain closed supplying power tosolenoid valve 30. Thus, during deceleration of the rotating parts ofthe disposer, at which time dry grinding would normally occur in theabsence of the present invention, the solenoid valve 30 will remain openand flushing water will continue to flow through the bowl and the wasteline 25 until the apparatus has slowed to such hundred series.

speed that no further grinding or comminuting will occur. At thatmoment, switch 35 will open and solenoid valve 30 will be deenergized toclose and cut oil? the supply of flushing water.

Separate water supply lines 20 and 22 are included in the device shownin Fig. 1 since the flow of water through the comminuting apparatus 12provides some resistance to this apparatus and thus absorbs a certainamount of power. Since the major purpose of the flushing water is toentrain and flush away the ground up or comminuted waste material, aportion of the flushing water may be directed through the bowl beneaththe comminuting apparatus, thereby performing the function of entrainingthe ground waste material, while the remainder of the water flow throughpipe line 20 serves to flush out the comminuted or ground material whichmight otherwise gather in the comminuting apparatus itself. A suitabledivsion of the flow at T 19 will direct one half of the total flow fromsupply line 18 through each of the lines 20 and 22.

In some instances, however, it is not advisable, for example throughlack of space, to add this extra plumbing to the system. Accordingly, asuitable arrangement where the entire flow from the water supply linepasses through the comminuting apparatus is shown in Fig. 3, where partscorresponding to those in Fig. 1 are designated by correspondingreference numerals in the one Except for the omission of the T and thewater supply line passing directly into the lower region of the bowl110, the arrangement is the same as shown in Fig. 1 and operates in thesame fashion.

Another modified control is shown in Fig. 2, wherein parts correspondingto those in Fig. 1 are designated by corresponding reference numerals inthe two hundred series. Here, flow through the water supply line 220 iscontrolled by a solenoid operated valve 240 which is wired in parallelwith the motor supply lines 242 and 243, so that opening and closing ofsolenoid control valve 240 is dependent upon opening and closing ofswitch 238. The water supply line 222, instead of passing through thelower portion of bowl 210, is connected directly into waste line 225through a T 245, and a solenoid operated valve 230 controls flow throughline 222, being wired through lines 232 and 233 for control by thecentrifugal switch 235. In this arrangement, when the apparatus is inoperation and switch 238 is opened to shut down motor 213, solenoidoperated valve 240 closes to cut off flow of water through the bowl 210,but solenoid controlled valve 230 remains open until the apparatusdecelerates sufficiently to open switch 235, and during suchdeceleration flushing water thus is supplied through the waste line 225to entrain any waste material that may have been dry ground and passedtoward the waste line.

The present invention, therefore, positively and automatically preventsthe accumulation of dry ground waste material in the waste pipe line,assuring that this line will always be flushed clear at the end of eachoperation of the apparatus regardless of the time required for therotating parts of the apparatus to decelerate.

While the forms of apparatus herein described constitute preferredembodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the inventionis not limited to these precise forms of apparatus, and that changes maybe made therein without departing from the scope of the invention whichis defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine of the character described including apparatus havingrotary parts supported in a material receiving bowl, an electric motorconnected to drive said apparatus, a switch controlling the supply ofelectrical energy to said motor, a waste pipe line extending from saidbowl, a liquid supply pipe connected to conduct a flow of liquid throughsaid bowl and through said waste line to flush material therefrom, valvemeans OutIQHing said flow of liquid and adapted to be opened in responseto energization of said motor for supplying flushing liquid, meansresponsive to the speed of rotation of said motor, and means controlledby said speed responsive means for maintaining said valve in openposition following opening of said switch and as long as said motor isrotating above a predetermied speed.

2. In a machine of the character described including apparatus havingrotary parts supported in a material receiving bowl, an electric motorconnected to drive said apparatus, a waste pipe line extending from saidbowl, a liquid supply pipe connected to conduct a flow of liquid throughsaid bowl and through said waste line to flush material therefrom,electrically operated valve means controlling said flow of liquid, aswitch controlling energization of said motor, control switch meansdriven from said motor and responsive to rotation thereof to movebetween an operative position when said motor is rotating atpredetermined speed and a non-operative position, and means providing anoperating circuit between said valve means and said control switch meansfor maintaining said valve means in open position to pass flushingliquid through said waste line following opening of said switch and aslong as said motor is rotating above a predetermined speed.

3. In combination with a waste disposer unit having rotating comminutingapparatus supported in a waste receiving bowl and an electric motorconnected to drive said comminuting apparatus, a waste pipe lineextending from said bowl, a water supply pipe arranged to conduct a flowof water through said bowl and through said waste line to flushcomminuted waste material therefrom, valve means controlling the fiow ofwater, a switch controlling operation of said motor, control meansdriven from said motor and movable between operative and non-operativepositions in response to rotation of said motor to drive saidcomminuting apparatus, and means defining an operating connectionbetween said valve means and said control means for opening said valvemeans to direct flushing water through said waste line whenever saidmotor is rotating above a predetermined speed.

4. In combination with a waste disposer unit having unitary comminutingapparatus supported in a waste receiving bowl and an electric motorconnected to drive said comminuting apparatus, a waste pipe lineextending from said bowl, a water supply pipe connected to conduct aflow of water through said bowl and through said waste line to flushcomminuted waste material therefrom, electrically operated valve meanscontrolling the flow of water, a switch controlling energization of saidmotor, control switch means driven from said motor and movable betweenan operative position when said motor is rotating above a predeterminedspeed and a non-operative position, and means defining an operatingcircuit between said valve means and said control switch means foropening said valve means to direct flushing water through said wasteline whenever said control switch means is in operative position inresponse to rotation of said motor above said predetermined speed.

5. In combination with a waste disposer unit having rotary comminutingapparatus supported in a waste receiving bowl and an electric motorconnected to drive said comminuting apparatus, a waste pipe lineextending from said bowl, a water supply pipe connected to conduct afiow of water through said bowl and through said waste line to flushcomminuted waste material therefrom, solenoid operated valve meanscontrolling the flow of water, a motor control switch connected togovern energization of said motor, control switch means responsive "tocentrifugal force to move between an operative closed position whenrotated at a predetermined speed and a non-operative open position,means providing a driving connection between said motor and said controlswitch means, and means defining a circuit connecting said valve meansand said control switch means for opening said ,1. 3 valve means tosupply flushing water through said waste line whenever said controlswitch means is in operative position regardless of the condition ofsaid motor control switch.

6. In combination with a waste disposer unit having I a rotatingcomminuting apparatus supported in a waste receiving bowl and anelectric motor connected to drive said apparatus, a waste pipe lineextending from said bowl, a Water supply pipe, separated branch linesextending from said supply pipe to conduct part of the water supplythrough said apparatus and through said bowl to said waste line and theremainder of the water supply directly through said bowl to said wasteline, valve means in said supply pipe controlling the flow of watertherethrough, a switch controlling operation of said motor, controlmeans driven from said motor and movable between operative andnon-operative positions in response to rotation of said motor to drivesaid apparatus, and means defining an operating connection between saidvalve means and said control means for opening said valve means todirect flushing water through said waste line whenever said controlmeans is in operative position regardless of the condition of saidswitch.

7. In combination with a waste disposer unit having a rotatingcomminuting apparatus supported in a waste receiving bowl and anelectric motor connected to drive said apparatus, a waste pipe lineextending from said bowl, a Water supply pipe, separate branch linesextending from said supply pipe to conduct part of the water supplythrough said apparatus and through said bowl to said waste line and theremainder of the water supply directly through said bowl to said'wasteline, separate valve means in each of said branch lines for controllingthe flow of water therethrough, a switch controlling operation of saidmotor, control means driven from said motor and movable betweenoperative and non-operative positions in response to rotation of saidmotor to drive said apparatus, means connecting the valve means in thatbranch line supplying water through said apparatus for control by saidswitch, and means defining an operating connection between the othersaid valve means and said control means for opening said other valvemeans to direct flushing water through said bowl and said waste linewhenever said control means is in operative position regardless of thecondition of said switch.

8. In combination with a waste disposer unit having rotating comminutingapparatus supported in a waste receiving bowl and an electric motorconnected to drive said apparatus, a waste pipe line extending from saidbowl, a water supply pipe line arranged to conduct the entire flow ofwater therethrough into said bowl and through said apparatus to saidwaste line to flush comminuted waste material therefrom, valve means insaid supply pipe controlling the flow of water therethrough, a switchcontrolling operation of said motor, control means driven from saidmotor and movable between operative and non-operative positions inresponse to rotation of said motor, and means defining an operatingconnection between said valve means and said control means for retainingsaid valve means open to direct flushing water through said waste linewhenever said control means is in operative position regardless of thecondition of said switch.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent NODZ 886941 April '7 1959 Gerald Ba Fox et al0 It is hereby certified that errorappears in the printed specification of the above numbered patentrequiring correction and that the saidLetters Patent should read ascorrected below.

Column 5 line 9 for "separated branch read. me separate branch Signed.and sealed this 18th day of August 1959,

i SEAL; Attest:

KA n AD-LINE r v ROBERT C. WATSON Commissioner of Patents AttestingOificer

